Various hair accessories have been employed for the purpose of holding hair in a desired arrangement or hairstyle. A common problem with many hair accessories is a tendency to slip out of place over time and, consequently, to fail to preserve a desired arrangement of hair. The problem of slippage is exacerbated during periods of increased physical activity when an individual's increased range of body motion and/or head movement may cause the hair accessory to slide on the hair, thereby deteriorating a desired hairstyle. By way of example, a claw clip worn around a ponytail during certain physical activities has a tendency to slip and lose its hold on hair. Slippage is a source of frustration to users of hair accessories since the need to readjust and/or reinstall a hair accessory in order to secure a stronger hold on the hair and/or to repair a desired hairstyle interrupts the user's intended activity. Moreover, for many users, the response to the frustration of repeated slippage is simply to remove the hair accessory completely and abandon further efforts to preserve what was previously a desired hairstyle.
A second problem with many hair accessories is their tendency to damage hair—particularly though not exclusively during removal. The hair accessory may potentially pull or snag hair each time it is manipulated, so repetitive installations and/or adjustments of the hair accessory in response to undesirable slippage increase the likelihood of damaging an individual's hair.
A third problem with many hair accessories is their tendency to create a hair “dent” in areas from which they are removed (e.g., the crown of the head, a ponytail, etc.). These residual hair dents are oftentimes noticeable long after the hair accessory has been removed, which presents the user with two undesirable options: endure the frustration of repeated installation and/or adjustment of the hair accessory or remove the hair accessory altogether and risk an unsightly hair dent.
In response to one or more of the above-described problems, various hair accessories have been previously proposed, which are purported to have an increased ability to hold hair and a reduced tendency towards slippage. However, such products tend to grip hair too aggressively, which increases the likelihood of pulling out and/or damaging hair upon removal of the hair accessory.